The pressure of the calendar, the demands of the clubs and the syndrome that attacks Spanish football with the risk of injuries leads to a point of no return. Lamine Yamal, the star who shines the most, only had a muscular overload but has been called off by the coach and his work group to avoid major problems and a roar in the background. The 17-year-old jewel will not be this Tuesday against Serbia, in the match that could seal Spain‘s qualification for the quarter-finals of the Nations League, and will be replaced by Riquelme, the Atlético winger.
«The tests have not detected a structural injury and the RFEF medical services confirm that it is an overload. Prioritizing the player’s health and to avoid any risk of injury, given the immediacy of the match against Serbia, it was decided to call it off,” says the Federation statement after subjecting the player to an MRI.
In the background a message is brewing that comes from Barcelona, the marking of any footballer who faces him by kicking Lamine, as if the selection were an annoying obstacle in the rise to stardom with Barça. The questions to the coach about this section are repeated in the press conferences. And also the responses of the Rioja coach.
“A friend always said that you shouldn’t expect kisses on a soccer field,” a way of arguing the essence of this contact sport. And also a recommendation for the young talent: “Sometimes he can release the ball earlier,” and thus avoid kicks, De la Fuente failed to say.
Barça transmitted to the Federation the concern generated by the outcome of the match against Denmark, Lamine Yamal substituted after a normal fight with the Nordics and limping at the exit of the stadium in an image that bothered the Barça club even more.
In the ins and outs of the national team’s coaching staff, the controversy that arose last year with the serious cruciate ligament injury of Gift a Valladolid (November 19, against Georgia), after De la Fuente commented in a friendly tone that the midfielder “always wanted to play everything” because he is a force of nature and a boy brimming with energy. Criticism of all colors rained down on the coach for these words. Gavi has not returned to football almost a year later.
Due to these circumstances in life and football, preventive measures are applied to Lamine. He does not play on Tuesday, nor does his theoretical replacement, Yeremy Pino, ruled out before the duel with Denmark. Bryan Zaragoza and Murcia debutant Sergio Gómez can occupy that position. Also the Atlético de Madrid player Rodrigo Riquelme, whom De la Fuente calls up again after his last appearance, in the November 2023 window, when he participated against Cyprus and Georgia in the qualifying phase for the Euro Cup.
